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DEFENDANT SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT’S DISCUSSION OF PLAINTIFF CROSS-COUNTY COACH’S TERMINATION WITH STUDENTS WAS ABSOLUTELY PRIVILEGED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the defendant school superintendent’s (Brantner’s) statements to students about plaintiff cross-country coach (who was terminated) were absolutely privileged:

“The absolute privilege defense affords complete immunity from liability for defamation to an official [who] is a principal executive of State or local government . . . with respect to statements made during the discharge of those responsibilities about matters which come within the ambit of those duties” … . Here, plaintiff does not dispute that Brantner, as superintendent, is a government official to whom the absolute privilege would apply … . The question presented is whether Brantner was acting within the scope of her duties as superintendent when she met with members of the cross-country team in a classroom before school to discuss plaintiff’s termination.

We conclude that … Brantner’s statements were made during the course of the performance of her duties as a school superintendent and were about matters within the ambit of those responsibilities.  Brantner testified at her deposition that the school board asked her to speak with the students, who had appeared at school board meetings demanding to know why plaintiff had been fired …  In any event, even assuming, arguendo, that Brantner decided on her own to meet with the students, we conclude that she was acting within the scope of her duties when making the statements. Although Education Law § 1711 … does not specifically authorize superintendents to meet with students, the statute is not an exhaustive list delineating every action that a school superintendent is permitted to engage in, and the absence from the statute of a reference to a particular category of action does not mean that it is unauthorized. In our view, a school superintendent does not act ultra vires when speaking to students in a school setting about a matter related to their education or extracurricular activities. Panek v Brantner, 2023 NY Slip Op 03636, Fourth Dept 6-30-23

Practice Point: Because the defendant school superintendent was acting within the scope of her duties when she discussed plaintiff cross-country coach’s termination with students, her statements were absolutely privileged and will not support a defamation action.

 

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